Joint Statement on Animal Cloning for Livestock Production
March 2011
Intergovernmental meetings to continue exchanges regarding the regulatory and trade-related aspects of livestock cloning in agriculture and food production took place in Buenos Aires in December 2010 and March 2011,
The Governments through their representatives identified below recognize the increasing pressure being put on limited resources to meet the growing challenges to food security, the importance of innovation for agriculture, and the essential role that agricultural technologies play in addressing these challenges of meeting the demands of a growing world population,
They also note that regulations for somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) livestock cloning, as with other technologies in the agrifood sector, may impact trade and technology transfer, and accordingly invite other Governments to consider supporting this document.
The following points are identified:
- Regulatory approaches related to agricultural technologies should be science-based, and no more trade-restrictive than necessary to fulfill legitimate objectives, and should be consistent with international obligations.
- Expert scientific bodies around the world have reviewed the effects of SCNT cloning on animal health and the safety of food derived from livestock clones. There has been no evidence indicating that food from clones or the progeny of clones is any less safe than food from conventionally bred livestock.
- The sexually-reproduced progeny of SCNT clones are not clones. These progeny are the same as any other sexually-reproduced animal of their own species. There is no scientifically justifiable basis for imposing a regulatory differentiation between the progeny of clones and other animals of the species.
- Restrictions specifically aimed at food from the progeny of clones – such as bans or labeling requirements – could have negative impacts on international trade.
- Any audit and enforcement measure addressed to progeny of clones would be impossible to apply legitimately and would result in onerous, disproportionate and unwarranted burdens on livestock producers.
Argentina: Lorenzo BASSO, Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries; Alejandro SILVA, Chief of Staff of the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries.
Brazil: Bivanilda ALMEIDA TAPIAS, Agricultural Attaché of the Brazilian Embassy in Buenos Aires.
New Zealand: Darryl DUNN, New Zealand Ambassador in Buenos Aires.
Paraguay: Armin HAMANN, Viceminister of Livestock; Daniel ROJAS, President of the National Service of Animal Health and Quality; Luis LLANO IMAS, President of the Paraguay Institute of Agricultural Technology.
United States of America: Melissa R. CLARKSON AGUSTIN, Director of Agricultural Affairs (USTR); Ed PORTER, Director of New Technologies and Production Methods Division of the Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA); Marcella SZYMANSKI, Foreign Affairs Officer of the Office of Agriculture, Biotechnology, and Textile Trade (U.S. Department of State).
Done in Buenos Aires, March 16th, 2011.